Serralves inaugurated the new building of the Museum of Contemporary Art

The Serralves Foundation inaugurated, at the end of Thursday afternoon, the west building of the Museum of Contemporary Art, increasing the institution's exhibition area by 40%. The inauguration of the Álvaro Siza Wing is a milestone in the institution's history, while paying tribute to its author.

Signed by the architect awarded with a "Pritzker" (1992), this building marks the close relationship between Serralves and himself, which has lasted for more than three decades, with the realization of important projects of his own, inaugurated at different times: construction of the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art (in 1999), Casa do Cinema Manoel de Oliveira (2019), Casa dos Jardineiros (2021), recovery of Casa de Serralves (2021), among many other projects.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister, António Costa, the Minister of Culture, Pedro Adão e Silva, the Mayor, accompanied by the president of the Serralves Foundation, Ana Pinho, and the author of the project, Álvaro Siza. For the head of the Government, the new building is an "absolutely extraordinary" work.

"It's, for me, a day where I'm very, very satisfied. I think this is an absolutely extraordinary work and makes the city of Porto an even more extraordinary city", said António Costa, during the inauguration speech of the new space.

After visiting the new space, accompanied by hundreds of guests (on the part of the City Council, and in addition to its Mayor, the Councillor for Youth, Catarina Araújo, and for Education, Fernando Paulo, were present), the Prime Minister considered that the architect managed to "show beauty", especially through the connection of the building to the trees that are outside, the angles and the play of lights room after room. "The architect Siza Vieira found here a lot of beauty", he added.

According to the Prime Minister, the meeting of people with beauty is what "will surely enhance that part of this public may one day also aspire to be a producer of beauty, as an architect, musician, painter, sculptor or, simply, consumer of culture". In his opinion, this work was a “good way” to show the full potential of the Serralves Foundation.

António Costa stressed that investment in art is "even what remains when everything else is gone". And in this regard, he recalled, for example, the bankruptcy of banks from which his works of art remained.

“This is a great public-private partnership”

The Mayor highlighted the happiness that "the city has" with the existence of a foundation, such as Serralves, and an architect, such as Siza Vieira. "Happy is a city that has those who continue to bet on this house", said Rui Moreira, ensuring that this "is a great public-private partnership".

The Mayor also praised the Prime Minister's action – "it's good to have a Prime Minister who understands the dimension of culture", he said – and a minister for culture, "with whom one can talk and understands what we say."

"Culture is not subsidized, it is consumed. But when we are able to see beauty in its emptiness, this way we are happier", concluded Rui Moreira.

A Building integrated into the landscape

The president of the Serralves Foundation recalled that the Serralves Museum is, already today, "a reference in cultural production and dissemination and an architectural landmark, nationally and internationally". When it opened to the public in 1999, "it received 80,000 visitors. This year, it should receive the visit of more than one million and one hundred thousand people", said Ana Pinho.

The new building, "completely integrated into the landscape", is still "marked by its uniqueness and stunning architecture", said the president of the Foundation, paying tribute to Álvaro Siza Vieira: "Serralves would not be Serralves without you".

Ana Pinho did not fail to thank the support that the Foundation had in this project, namely from the Porto City Council and, in particular, from its Mayor, Rui Moreira, "for this and all the other support we had, for having entrusted Serralves with the deposit of the Miró collection and its close and constant presence in this house".

The architect, who explained his work, defines the new building as "an evident whole" with the existing one. "A void that the imagination tries to fill", he said, adding that "the implantation of the trees draws the new wing".

The new space of the Museum of Contemporary Art, whose investment was ten million euros, with funding of 4.2 million community funds, began to be built in May 2022. It is developed on three floors, consisting of a basement and two exhibition spaces. It will open to the public in early 2024, with two major exhibitions - one dedicated to the Serralves Collection and the other to the work of Álvaro Siza. This new space allows the Foundation to increase the exhibition area by about 40%, with new interconnectable and adjustable exhibition rooms.

Until the beginning of the year, visitors will be able to enjoy the entire space and its architectural beauty.